Behind the Scenes Tours for Schools

Go Behind the Scenes at the Old North! This 30 minute guided tour is our most popular program and offers a more in-depth view of the Old North and its history within the theme of HOW THINGS WORK. Essential questions guiding student learning: How is the church building physically structured? What are change-ringing bells and how do they function? What is a crypt and why/how was it used at Old North?

You and your students will explore two areas of the church only accessible on this tour:

The Bell Ringing Chamber: Climb the stairs of the Old North bell tower to the room where the teen-aged Paul Revere worked as a bell ringer. Explore the history and architecture of the steeple, which has been toppled twice by hurricanes in its storied history. Listen and learn about the workings of the oldest set of change-ringing bells in North America. (*This section requires climbing and descending two flights of narrow stairs.)

The Crypt: Walk amongst the 37 tombs constructed below the floors of the Old North between 1732 and 1860. Learn about the construction of the crypt, view artifacts found in the crypt, and learn how and why crypts were used in colonial Boston.

Age Level: Appropriate for 5th grade and up.

Capacity: 25 students per tour MAXIMUM. Due to the physical space within Old North, we cannot accommodate more than 25 people per tour. However, we can accommodate 50 people at the same time by starting two tour groups in different sections. Please speak to our Visitor Services Manager for more details.

Price: $8 per person

For reservations, please contact Old North Tours & Reservations at tours@oldnorth.com. Please include the name of your school and school address, number of students and chaperones, and your preferred dates and times. We will do our best to accommodate your request. Please note we are especially busy with school groups April – June.

Meets the following Massachusetts Frameworks for History and Social Science:

8-12.CS.10 – Distinguish historical fact from opinion. (H, E, C)

8-12.CS.7 – Show connections, causal and otherwise, between particular historical events and ideas and larger social, economic, and political trends and developments. (H, G, C, E)

8-12.CS.8 – Interpret the past within its own historical context rather than in terms of present-day norms and values. (H, E, C)

We are located at 193 Salem Street in Boston’s North End. Our main entrance is located at the intersection of Salem and Hull Streets. Click for more information about ourlocation, the nearest parking garage, or directions.